Chapter 13

Maddox sits in a chair facing away from me. He hasn’t said another word to me since he handcuffed me to the pool table in Alessandro’s office on the top floor of the club. And I’m fine with that. I have nothing to say to him, anyway. It’s been twenty minutes since he locked me up. I know that because I’ve been watching the clock on his office wall, every tick, tick, tick crawling under my skin. The anticipation of waiting for Alessandro is killing me.

The door suddenly opens, and music blares through from outside as Alessandro strides in, his face ready for murder. Right behind him is Ricky, looking as panicked as he was the night I got shot. I plead with him to save me, knowing my efforts are wasted on Alessandro, but maybe Ricky will stop him from doing anything rash before he has time to cool off.

“What the fuck is going on here, Maddox?” Alessandro’s voice booms through the office, his attention turning to my babysitter.

“She ran,” is all he says in response .

Fear seems to flicker in Alessandro’s eyes as he turns his attention toward me. Fear, not anger.

I can’t help but let out a laugh, the angst in the room hitting boiling point. “Nearly worked too, didn’t it, big guy? Why don’t you tell Alessandro how far I got before you caught up with me?” I taunt Maddox, doing everything I can to cause trouble between them. I must really have a death wish tonight. I don’t miss the way Ricky’s lips twitch at the sides. He thinks me mocking Maddox is funny as well.

“Leave us,” Alessandro demands, his shadowy eyes fixed on me, sending a chill over my bare arms with their intensity.

Maddox grumbles something I don’t make out as he passes me, gladly leaving the room, but Ricky lingers a little longer, his piercing eyes running over me locked up. They’re filled with what I can only describe as longing. Seeing me all helpless and handcuffed to this pool table has him all hot and bothered. Maybe his brief altercation with Alessandro earlier hasn’t deterred him after all. Eventually, he closes the door behind them, leaving us alone.

Slowly, Alessandro approaches me. Swirling tension fills the atmosphere, his intense, enraged stare raking over me like he can’t decide if he wants to kill me or screw me into next week.

I recline against the table. I’m unbearably uncomfortable, putting all my weight on my good leg for support now that the injured leg has begun to throb. The new dress is tight and shorter than I would like, when I’m at his mercy and he’s looking at me like his prey.

He comes to a halt directly in front of me. “Why are you trying to run away from me? When I’m the one who wants to protect you?” He gently touches my arm with his fingertips, slowly tracing a path up to my neck and finally reaching my hair.

I stiffen at his touch because I don’t know what to expect. Shouldn’t he be angry with me? But his words are more pained. I don’t answer him. He’s given me no reason to believe he’s trying to keep me safe. Since I’ve been in his presence, his men have shot me, locked me up, and forced me to follow their stupid orders. This is not a safe environment by any means.

He releases the hair tie holding my hair off my face, and it falls in curls, cascading down my back. “What happened to the red?” He runs his hands through it, feeling the silky strands.

I am taken aback by his sudden shift in conversation and find myself staring back at him, my expression bitchy. Because how the fuck else should I be with him? “Do you really need to ask?”

“The red was better on you,” he huffs, handing out fashion advice like he has a degree in cosmetology.

My lips curl up in a sarcastic smirk. There is no way for me to stop it. He has a knack for getting under my skin, and I’m reaching my breaking point trying to keep my composure. “Like I give a fuck what you think about my appearance.”

He pulls my hair off my face in a makeshift ponytail, forcing me to lift my gaze toward him. It’s obvious he’s relishing the dominance he has over me, with me locked up. But I’m not as helpless as he thinks. I could happily still knee him in the junk if I wanted to or bite any part of him that comes too close without my say so. Except, the tightness of his hold brings tears to my eyes and a flutter of excitement with it. I enjoy him like this way too much.

“I’m not your enemy, princess. The sooner you wrap your pretty little head around that concept, the better.”

My glare turns icy. Not my enemy? Is he kidding me? “You murdered my family, then had your goon shoot me and keep me prisoner. If it walks like a duck and quacks, it’s a fucking duck, Alessandro.” I spit the words at him like acid, hoping they will burn holes in this whole hero act he has going on. He used to care about me once. At least that’s what it felt like. But now I don’t even know who he is.

He loosens his grip on my hair, skating his hand down to my waist, a fierce look of determination washing over him. “I didn’t murder your family,” he says, his voice almost a whisper it comes out so quietly.

I shove him away aggressively with my free hand. “No, you had your fucking goon Maddox do it for you, while Ricky kept me locked away so I could hear their screams of agony and not do anything to help. What I don’t understand is why? You and my papa were friends. How could you do that to him?”

He takes my hand, pinning me between his solid body and the table. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Harley.” There is a bitterness to his tone that I don’t understand. He has nothing to be bitter about. And I don’t know what I’m talking about because he and his fucking buddies have been keeping me in the dark since I got here.

I blink back at him. He is leaning in so close that our faces are almost touching. “Enlighten me, Alessandro.” I force the words through clenched teeth.

“It’s Alex,” he huffs, unimpressed I keep using his full name.

“I don’t give a fuck what your name is. Start talking sense to me. Because from where I stand, you look guilty as shit.”

His hand skates down my arm, and when his fingers touch mine, I willingly intertwine mine with them. We’ve been standing like this, face to face, with only inches between us for a long time. The same electric connection between us still exists, but now, there is an added layer of angst. “You’re not in a position to be making demands.” He moves my legs farther apart with his knee.

A thrill of excitement runs through me. His sheer dominance makes my pussy sit up and take notice in a way she shouldn’t after the way he’s treated me. “What position would you like me in, then?” I run my free hand over the velvety fabric of the pool table. “Bent over this pool table so you can fuck me up the ass?” My snarky attitude isn’t as easily won over as my body. “Come on, Alex, we both know it’s your favorite. Or would you have one of your goons do that job for you now as well?” I bare my teeth, challenging him. To do what, I don’t really know, but I can’t stop the words from vomiting out of my mouth.

He drops his hold on me and takes a step away like I just burnt him. Maybe my words are more powerful than I thought. His breathing comes out in sharp, strained breaths as he runs a hand through his dark wavy hair.

And I do a little happy dance inside my head, of course. Can’t let the big bad wolf know I can see right through him. Alessandro’s not some unforgiving asshole when it comes to me. He has feelings, a lot of them. He’s just trying to control them for some reason. Act all hard and cunt-like. It’s not him, or maybe it is and everything we shared was the lie. I can’t tell anymore.

He slides his fingers through his hair again, tugging at the ends as though he has the weight of the world resting on his shoulders. “Watch your mouth, princess,” he warns. I know how dangerous this game is I’ve started, but I’m not just going to sit here and look fucking pretty while he takes over my life. He, of all people, should know me better than that.

“Absolutely, boss.” I give him a wink. I’m not the innocent teen he corrupted two years ago, and right now, I can tell I’m getting to him. The chemistry we used to have is still here. “Come on, Alex, I’m at your mercy.” I tug on the handcuff attached to the pool table, taunting him. “This would be a wet dream come true, me tied down. Your brother Ricky thought so. I could see it in his eyes.”

“Harley,” he growls my name as a warning. “I don’t know what you’re trying to achieve here, but it’s not going to happen.”

My lips turn up at the sides because I can see I’m breaking down his walls. He wants to give in to me. I tilt my head, running my eyes up his body, eating up every fine inch of him in his expensive suit. He is incredibly attractive, with a rugged face adorned by a slight stubble I want to scratch my inner thighs. I remember how talented his tongue is, bringing me undone time and time again. He has that utterly captivating Michael Morrone bad boy look going on, that’s apparently my kryptonite, by the way my heart races when he looks my way.

“Why not? Because it’s not on your terms, because you always have to be in charge? I should have known there was something messed up with you. That you weren’t just the heir to your father’s casino. When we were sneaking round, there was always so much that didn’t add up. Now I get it.” My eyes search his for answers, ones I know he won’t give me.

As he pulls me closer, I can feel the electric anticipation in the air, causing my heart to beat a little faster. With a deep, rumbling growl escaping his lips, he possessively claims my mouth, igniting a cascade of sensations throughout my body. His kiss is filled with a desperate longing that resonates deep within me, making my toes curl. And it’s like I’m transported back in time, to the bliss of when we first met. When I couldn’t get enough of him.